Forest and Rangeland Management

Forest and rangeland management in Nepal plays an important role in national development as well as the socio-economic condition of rural people. However, deforestation and forest degradation have seriously reduced the availability of forest products which has adversely affected much of the country’s natural resource base.

1) Fodder from forest provides more than 40 % livestock nutrition.

2) Fuel wood from forest, shrub land adjoining farms provides 75% of total energy needs.

3) Forest watersheds are the main source of water for energy, irrigation and domestic use.

4) The protected area network establishes in natural forests acts to preserve biodiversity and maintain genetic stock

5) Forest provides employment opportunities for the rural poor.

6) Forest areas provide the basis for some of Nepal’s tourist industry.

Status of Forest and Rangeland Resources

• Nepal has around 5.5 million hectares of forest (representing about 37% of total land area of 15 million hectares), 0.7 million hectares of shrub land, and 1.7 million hectares of grasslands/ pastures and 1.0 million hectares of non- cultivated inclusions.

• Up to now, reforestation programmes have been done in a small area. Only about 99,000 hectares including government, private, community and leasehold plantation are planted between 1985 and 1992.

• Nearly all the deforestation programmes is taking place in the Terai; forests continue to be converted for agriculture use.

• The process of degradation is far more widespread throughout Nepal due to increasing human population and demand for fuel wood, timber, leaf, litter and demand for a large number of livestock pasture and rangeland.